Applique art of Orissa

Applique is a decorative design made of one material sewn over another. The state of Orissa is known for its appliqué art closely related to the temple tradition. The main centre of appliqué art is Pippli, a small town near Bhubaneswar.

Traditionally, the appliqué works of Orissa are used as canopies for the chariots of Lord Jagannath in the annual festival of Puri Jagannath temple. In recent years, the appliqué art has been extended to the making of beautiful animals, birds, flowers and other decorative motifs. Now, they are used as household lampshades, garden umbrellas and even handbags.

This video clip is shot from the annual Surajkund Crafts Mela, an annual crafts fair held in Haryana, India. This is an initiative of Haryana Tourism to promote the Indian handicraft and handloom tradition.